Official Review: Keys to Atlantis by Sally Copus

[Rachaelamb1]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Keys to Atlantis" by Sally Copus.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Keys to Atlantis by Sally Copus is the second book in The Odyssey of Jon Sinclair trilogy. This time-travel, fantasy, adventure book is written for children ages 8-12, although I believe many teenagers would enjoy it as well.

It has been a few years since Jon Sinclair has returned from his first time-travel experience. He, his grandfather, Alistair, and 2 friends, Nikos and Colin, are preparing to embark on another expedition. Their first stop is in 1699 to pick up their pirate friend, BlackHeart, and then they are off to go further back in time to discover Atlantis. Of course, not everything goes as planned. First of all, some strange men arrive at Jon's house to speak to his grandfather. Then, Colin's obnoxious sister, Haley, arrives. People are after them everywhere they turn and they may have a traitor in their midst. Will they find the solutions they are seeking back in time or will going back only cause more problems?

Although this is the second book, I did not feel lost or confused by anything that was happening. While knowing the characters better initially would have been nice, the author does a good job of introducing them in a way that makes them feel like old friends. The only thing I felt a little confused about was the workings of the time travel ship, called the Carousel. I do not understand where the Carousel goes when it is not being used and how someone could stay in there alone for days. Perhaps the explanation for that is made clear in the first book and simply did not make it in the second.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure book that took me back to my childhood. While the subject matter of time-travel is nothing new, the story is engaging and well-written. Some of the twists were easy to guess, but others actually did take me by surprise. There is also a hefty dose of fantasy mixed with history, which keeps the story fun.

The characters are both believable and lovable. I especially like BlackHeart and his sense of humor. He may not be the main character, but he steals the show. The only criticism I have with the characters is that Haley undergoes a dramatic and quick attitude change with little reason. She seems to be a completely different person from when she is first introduced with no explanation for it. Jon also seems to fall for her for no apparent reason (other than her looking different without her strange modern-day clothing). However, because Haley is not very important to the story, it is easy to ignore.

I have to mention that the ending is a cliffhanger. While reading, I noticed that I was getting near the end and was annoyed because I knew it was going to be a cliffhanger ending. At the time, I thought there was way too much that was left unanswered for it to feel like a complete book. However, the author did wrap up a lot of things in a short period of time with a big reveal that made me satisfied with the book as a whole. I really hate it when it feels like the book just cuts off halfway. I am happy that this one did not do that.

My rating for Keys to Atlantis is 4 out of 4 stars. This book is well-written, with fun characters, and lots of action. While I probably will not buy the first or third book for myself, this is a trilogy I will consider buying for my children when they are older.

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Keys to Atlantis
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[anonanemone]

Sounds neat! Definitely a series to check out for my kids. Thanks for this great review!

[Jesska6029]

It's great you were able to jump into the second book without any confusion! Loved the review!

[Rachaelamb1]

Sounds neat! Definitely a series to check out for my kids. Thanks for this great review!

Thanks! Let us know how they like it!

-- 30 Oct 2015, 21:41 --

It's great you were able to jump into the second book without any confusion! Loved the review!

Thanks! I'm always hesitant to read a book series out of order, but the author did a great job helping new readers not get lost.

[rssllue]

Very nice review! It sounds like quite the interesting book and series for young kids and maybe me too!

[Tanaya]

Great review. I really like the premise! Sounds like a fun book to read. Your critique of the character Haley would probably bother me too, but the idea that the characters are presented like old friends sounds rather appealing.

[Rachaelamb1]

Very nice review! It sounds like quite the interesting book and series for young kids and maybe me too!

You never know, you may end up with a new favorite series!

-- 31 Oct 2015, 10:08 --

Great review. I really like the premise! Sounds like a fun book to read. Your critique of the character Haley would probably bother me too, but the idea that the characters are presented like old friends sounds rather appealing.

Thanks! I would have preferred to read the first book so I would know everyone's background better but I am glad the author introduced the characters in her second book in a way that was easy to connect to.

[kimmyschemy06]

Sounds like my kind of book. I love adventure and it doesn't matter much to me if it was written for young readers, I think I'm going to like it. Great review! Congratulations to Sally Copus for a wonderful book.

[Rachaelamb1]

I never care if it's written for a younger audience either. A good story is a good story regardless of age!